The book begins as Johnson and his family move from West London to a
council house in Slough. Johnson enjoys the life as a postman and with his growing
family in the new community at Britwell Estate.

He reiterates his main interests in life as being reading, music and football
So there are the regular updates about things like the 1975/6 season when his
beloved QPR miss out on the First Division title by a point to Liverpool. He
recalls the three days when Rangers were top of the table prior to Liverpool’s
final game against Wolves which they needed to win to take the title.

But tragedy always seems to be lurking in the background. So, while life
seems settled, there then comes the bombshell of his brother in law Mike Whitaker,
being revealed as an alcoholic who eventually takes his own life. Johnson tells
the story with great warmth and sensitivity, conveying the hurt of the time
which has clearly remained with him.

The catalogue of events over the years also gives some indication as to
how Johnson manages to rise in the trade union movement. Initially, he just
seems to go along with things at the branch. He is active in terms of
supporting the union over things like the seven week strike in 1971, going to
the regular rallies in Hyde Park.

In one notable observation he declares how the middle class students who
attended talked posh but dressed scruffy, while the working class posties
dressed posh but talked scruffy.

Johnson’s interest grows in the union, which sees him become branch
chair. He attends conference and seems initially struck by the theatre of it
all. He is though marked out early by Tom Jackson, then general secretary of
the Union of Communication Workers, as a potential future leader of the union.
Jackson gives Johnson some good advice as to how to make his way in the union.

The role of Johnson as a good fixer and negotiator comes through as the
book progresses. He gets the job of effectively selling a new working
arrangement agreed between the Post Office and the union. It benefits the
workers but there are suspicions. Johnson goes around the country selling the
process, making friends amongst the union and management.

There is a nice balance throughout the book between Johnson’s work and
personal life, with the tragedies providing a helping of pathos.

The reader can detect just how the Alan Johnson of the mid to late
1980s became the can do man that first Tony Blair and then Gordon Brown
promoted to the highest of ministerial offices.

Testimony to just what a good read this book provides is that - as with
This Boy – it leaves the reader once again eagerly anticipating the next one.